p. 6 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 1. (11/7/1892)

"IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE."

By Melancthon Woolsey Stryker

BY PRES. M. WOOLSEY STRYKER, D.D.

From doubt and all its sullen pain, From every wide uncertain quest, My mind, O Christ, comes back again, In thee, the Word of God, to rest.

My laden conscience knows thy voice, In thee my reasonings end their strife, Thou strangely dost my heart rejoice; Where else is way, or truth, or life?

My hope! in whom all fullness dwells, Thy words those many mansions show Where love shall see what faith foretells;— Thou wouldst have told, were it not so.

Thou canst not disappoint the trust That finds its answers all in thee; Because thou wert the holy, just, And good,—and must forever be.

Head over all things to thy church, Messiah, Mediator, King, In whom we cease our utmost search, Unquestioned and unquestioning,

Because we do in God believe We also do believe in thee, And, all thine own, would thee receive, Our life and light eternally.

O blessed and enduring Rock, Who builds on thee shall never fall! O Shepherd of one only flock, Beyond all fear infold us all!

—The Independent.

GENEALOGY OF SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

By H. A. St. John

BY ELDER H. A. ST. JOHN.

1. LIVING SABBATH KEEPERS.—The present generation of living Sabbath keepers observe the seventh-day Sabbath because the living God created the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is in six days, and rested upon the seventh day, then blessed the seventh day and hallowed it; and in his great moral law, commanded that it be ever remembered and kept holy.

2. OLDER SABBATARIANS.—The Sabbath keepers of recent generations kept the seventh-day Sabbath for the reason above stated. They reverenced the example and precept of the great Creator.

3. SIXTEENTH CENTURY SABBATARIANS.—When the Reformation lifted the veil of darkness that covered the nations of Europe, Sabbath keepers were found in Transylvania, Bohemia, Russia, Germany, France, and England. The Reformation did not give existence to these Sabbatarians, as only Carlstadt, of the Reformers, was a Sabbath keeper; they were remnants of ancient Sabbath-keeping churches that had witnessed for the truth during the Dark Ages. They kept the Sabbath because of their love for God, who had commanded them to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

4. EARLY CHRISTIANS.—The early Christians of the first centuries of the Christian era kept the seventh-day Sabbath because they loved God and revered his law, that law concerning which Jesus had taught them that it would be easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one jot or tittle of it to fail.

5. APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES.—The apostles and disciples of Christ "kept the Sabbath day according to the commandment," which was the day before the first day of the week, because it was the only way to do in order to obey God, whom they loved and worshiped.

6. JESUS CHRIST.—The Lord Jesus Christ, "as his custom was," kept the seventh-day Sabbath according to his Father's law, because he had that law written in his heart, and delighted to do his Father's will (Ps. 40: 7,8); and by keeping his Father's commandments he could continually abide in his Father's love (John 15:10), and thus give all his followers a perfect example of how they, too, might abide in the love of God.

7. HOLY PROPHETS.—The holy prophets, inspired men of God, who wrote and spake as they were moved to do by the Holy Ghost, kept God's holy Sabbath because they were loving servants of Jehovah, and they respected his holy law, which commanded them to keep the Sabbath day holy.

8. ANCIENT ISRAEL.—Ancient Israel in the wilderness, all who were loyal to the God who had delivered them from Egyptian bondage, kept the holy Sabbath of God's law even before that law was spoken by the Lord from Sinai, or written on the two tables of stone by the finger of God. They kept it because they would respect and obey their God who had rested from the work of creation upon the seventh day, then blessed and sanctified the day of his rest, and commanded it to be remembered and kept holy. Besides, they felt under renewed obligation to remember all of God's commandments to do them, because of his great mercy and condescension in delivering them with an high hand and outstretched arm from the bondage of slavery.

9. ANCIENT PATRIARCHS.—The ancient patriarchs, even back to Adam and Eve, the father and mother of all mankind, in keeping the seventh-day Sabbath had for their practice both the example and injunction of the great Father of all, the living God, and his Son Jesus Christ, by whom he created all things. Hence the seventh day of the week is as verily the Sabbath of our Lord Jesus Christ as it is the Sabbath of Jehovah. For this reason it is scripturally called the "Lord's day."

We have now traced the reasons for true Sabbatic observance, from the present generation backward through all past ages, to its original source, the Eternal Father. It is a plant which our Heavenly Father hath planted and cannot be rooted up. The seventh-day Sabbath is easily traced to the highest authority in the universe of God, even to the example and precept of God himself. Like the river of life, it proceeds from the throne of Him whose kingdom ruleth over all.

MAN PERVERTED BY SIN.

By Elder Wm. Covert

BY ELDER WM. COVERT.

MOSES writes of the character of God's works when first they came into being, saying, "God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Gen. 1:31.

Man was the chief consideration in the creation of this world. In this matter it was man especially who was to glorify his Creator. Man was the masterpiece of creation upon this planet. The earth and all things upon it were prepared for him, that he might be supplied with the means of comfort, convenience, and happiness. When, therefore, God said everything was very good, we know that man was good. Yes, he was very good. The image of the Creator within him was undimmed. He was made upright (Eccl. 7:29), and ordained unto good works (Eph. 2:10).

But man did not retain the primeval goodness that his Creator gave him, nor did he perpetuate his innocence by a continual unquestioned obedience. Soon, by deception, Satan gained access to him, and succeeded in his first interview so fully that man followed his advice, and disregarded the commandments of God. Thus the image of God in the creature was defaced, and with it the goodness and the innocence departed, and for these glorious attributes man received in exchange the attributes of the deceiver. So now we behold manifested very largely in the sinner the character of Satan. As the chief characteristic of Satan is a desire to exalt and advantage self, so in the unconverted this unpleasant feature becomes most marked. The entire progeny of the deceiver is marked with this abnormal development. With many of them this feature is very prominent.

There is a lesson recorded wherein our Saviour sets forth the parentage of different classes of people from a moral or spiritual standpoint. He plainly said to certain wicked men: "I speak that which I have seen with my Father; and ye do that which ye have seen with your father." "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." John 8:38, 44.

As with the physical nature, so with the spiritual, it bears children in its own likeness. The offspring must, in harmony with the laws of nature, be a repetition of the parent in a marked degree. Thus the wickedness that shows forth in man is traceable to its fatherhood, Satan; and his features are marked in proportion to the amount of selfishness that is discernible in his children. Satan's first proposition to man was that disobedience to God would make the transgressor as God, or like God. Some have gone even further in this direction than the original proposition. They not only oppose God, but declare that they themselves are God. 2 Thess. 2:4. Yea, Satan urged man so far in opposition to God that he murdered the Son of God in his rage and frenzy against the goodness and meekness of the Father as manifested in his Son.

If man has actually been urged so far as this in his hatred against God and his law, is there anything too bad for him to do when he is wholly surrendered to the will of Satan? Would he not destroy the Father himself, and overthrow his throne in the whole universe, had he the power to do so?

The character of Elymas, the sorcerer, as set forth by Paul when he rebuked him for his determined opposition to the truth, will serve to illustrate what a man becomes when he is filled by Satan. The apostle fixed his eyes upon the man, and, addressing him, said: "O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?" Acts 13:10.

The child of Satan perverts the right ways of the Lord, and is himself a perversion of the works of God. He is not at all the kind of man that the Lord created, but is man perverted.

The heart of the perverted man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. So deceived as to his own condition is man that he does not know his own heart. See Jer. 17:9.

Made bare by the Spirit of the Lord, there is seen in it "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like." Gal. 5:19-21. Dark as this picture is of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, it scarcely equals that drawn by the prophet's pen, where he laments the absence of the good man which God created. He says:—

"The godly man is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men; they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently, the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the mischief of his soul; thus they weave it together. The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge." Micah 7:2-4, Revised Version.

It would seem that Satan himself would be ashamed to own his own children, so distorted do their moral features appear when shown in the light of God's word. But as he never opens his eyes upon them in the fullness of this light, they do not appear to him what they really are. We desire, however, to bring the lamp of truth to shine in such a manner upon the character of those who will permit themselves to behold these sad features, that they will seek unto Him who alone can correct the perverted man, and cause that his image may be restored again as the Father first created it.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALVATION AND REWARD?

By Charles F. Wilcox

BY CHAS. F. WILCOX.

EVERY believer in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ feels a deep interest in the salvation of his soul, and looks forward with longing anticipations to the time when just rewards shall be given. Many questions arise touching the theme of salvation; and since some truths unfold slowly it is not to be wondered at that there are yet points from which a steadier light should be desired. One of these points is the relation, or rather the difference between salvation and reward.

Many look forward to the coming of Christ for their salvation. There is a salvation for the present, and there is also a salvation to be revealed when Christ shall appear in the glory of the Father with all the shining hosts of heaven. That salvation saves man from all woe and temptation. It gives him a place among the dwellers in light, where care and anxiety can never come. It is the placing of the promised reward in his own possession, and forever separating him from everything pertaining to the dominion of Satan.

But the present salvation is of greater moment to us now, for it prepares us for the inheritance to be revealed when Christ comes. If the present salvation is neglected, we shall not be prepared to receive the other; hence its greater importance at this time.

We may consider this subject under two distinct statements:—

Salvation is wholly of faith.
Reward is wholly of works.

There is a difference between salvation and reward, and the distinction must be understood, or one will be confused about justification by faith without works. The Bible has much to say about works, and many conclude that works are required to insure salvation, whereas they are not, but rather are the result of the salvation of God received.

Man lost life and immortality through sin. It is on this account that he needs the benefits offered in God's plan of salvation. Life and immortality are again brought to light through the gospel; for the gospel says to the sinner, "You stand accepted in the Beloved; salvation is yours if you will receive it; listen to the good report from heaven, and let the living word operate in your soul." This means more than to simply listen to the gospel plan of redemption. It is more than to remember meager outlines of the story of the cross.

The gospel presents facts, and these facts are to be received and held as great riches. The facts presented in God's word are based upon eternal principles, and these principles must be received in their fullness. The mighty principles underlying God's eternal purpose are broad, and deep, and full. The human mind may be exerted to its utmost to grasp them, and yet there will ever remain unexplored fields of wisdom. When the theme of salvation is received in faith, and held in truth, it is all-absorbing, supplanting all desires for pleasures of this present life. The soul that is born from above is filled with a constant delight and joy, and amid the busy whirl of the world it knows a "joy unspeakable and full of glory."

The sorrows and disappointments of earth cannot disturb the hope that is born of faith; it triumphs over every obstacle, and glories in tribulation. Faith is the victory that surmounts sin and all its evil consequences. It rests alone on the word of God; and to him who stands in the word of God, its fullness and power will be revealed according to the good pleasure and wisdom of the Author of that word.

Salvation is of faith "to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed." "If they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect."

Christ performed all the works required by the law, for the salvation of the whole world. In his keeping of the law was wrought the righteousness of God, and this is imputed to all who will accept it as a gift from God. Righteousness is a free gift. "For as by one man's [Adam's] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous." "They which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." The gift of righteousness prepares one to be an heir of salvation. It can only be received by faith; and being obtained through faith, it is to be kept by faith. God "hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." All who receive this "lively hope" have "reserved in heaven" "an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away."

There will be a remnant waiting for Christ when he comes, "who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." God makes the promises, and it is for man to accept them. A promise of God is a fact, and when man accepts a promise, it becomes a fact to the one who receives it. The act of accepting the promise of God is an act of faith. Man can only have a "lively," or living hope, in that which God promised; and a promise can only be received and held by the mind and heart, or by faith.

Battle Creek, Mich. (Concluded next week.)

A COLORED HIGHER CRITIC.

A NEGRO preacher, touched with the "higher criticism," once elaborated a new theory of the Exodus—to wit, that the Red Sea was frozen over, and so afforded the Israelites a safe passage, but when Pharaoh with his heavy iron chariots attempted to cross he broke through and was drowned. A brother arose and asked an explanation of that "p'int." Said he: "I's been studyin' g'ography, and de g'ography says dat am de place whar de tropics am, and de tropics am too hot for freezin'; de p'int to be 'splained is 'bout breakin' through de ice." The preacher straightened himself up, and said: "Brudder, glad you axed dat question, for it gives me 'casi'n to 'splain it. You see, dat war a great while ago, befo' dey had any g'ographies, and befo' dere war any tropics."—Sel.

CHRIST'S USE OF PARABLES.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.

THE Lord has momentous truths to reveal to those who would understand the things of the Spirit. His lessons are for all, and adapted to the needs of all. While his lessons are clothed in language so simple that a child might understand them, the truth is so deep that the most learned may well be charmed, and worship the Author of matchless wisdom. Though the wisest may find abundant food for thought in his simplest utterance, the humblest may comprehend his truth, and appropriate his promises to the need of the soul. Jesus taught men for the purpose of arousing desire to understand the things of God, that they might behold the excellence of the divine character, and make application for the righteousness of Christ, in which they might stand accepted before the Lord Jehovah. Have you a sense of want in your soul? Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Then this is an evidence that Christ has wrought upon your heart, and created this sense of need in your soul, in order that he may be sought unto to do for you, through the endowment of the Holy Spirit, those things which it is impossible for you to do for yourself.

Among the multitudes that listened to the words of Christ, were scribes and Pharisees, Sadducees and elders, rabbis and priests, Herodians and rulers. Most of this class were proud, world-loving, bigoted, ambitious men, who loved the praise of men more than the approval of God; for they were ignorant both of the Scriptures and of the power of God. In their ignorance they did not scruple to supplant the teaching of the prophets with their own expositions of the word of God. They wrested the Scripture from its relation to truth, and made it serve the cause of error. But they were exceedingly jealous of their position as teachers of the people, and looked with hatred upon the divine Teacher, who taught as one having authority. Above all things they desired to find something whereby they might bring accusation against him; and for this purpose they set spies upon his track to see if they could not catch something from his lips that would cause his condemnation, and forever silence him who seemed to draw the world after him. But Jesus knew the hearts of all, and understood the character of the men who watched him with malignant looks from the multitudes that gathered to hear his words, and he presented truth in such a way that they could find nothing whereby they might bring his case before the Sanhedrin. In parables he exposed the hypocrisy and wicked works of those who occupied high positions, and clothed in imagery truth of so cutting a character that had it been spoken in direct denunciation, they would have put an end to his ministry. But while he evaded the treacherous spies, he made truth so clear that error was manifested, and the honest in heart could readily discern what was truth.

The parables of Christ have been placed on record, and to the honest, diligent searcher after truth, their meaning will be made plain, their mystery unveiled. Those who will not seek for truth as for hidden treasure, make manifest the fact that they do not sincerely desire to know what is truth. Christ still says to his true followers, "It is given to you to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven." "Whosoever hath to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." He who responds to the drawing of Christ, will be found inquiring as to what is truth, that his feet may be directed into the way of righteousness. Christ is drawing all men, but all do not respond to his drawing. Those who yield their will to God's will, who are willing to follow where the Spirit of God may lead, who receive the light and walk therein, will seek for still more of heavenly enlightenment, and "shall have more abundance." But whoever resists the drawing of the Spirit of God, and refuses to walk in the light, choosing to walk in the path of his own selecting, will not be compelled to yield his stubborn will, or be forced to walk in the path of peace and holiness. Those who follow this course are of those who, having eyes, see not, but are blind to the terrible results of their choice, and walk in sparks of their own kindling, and shall lie down in sorrow.

Isaiah prophesied of the moral darkness that would enshroud those who were lifted up in their own esteem; he said: "Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." The Jewish leaders had corrupted their hearts with vain imaginations, with earthly, sensual, and devilish knowledge; and although they professed to believe in the typical sacrifice that had prefigured the Lamb of God through all the centuries since the fall of man, they set themselves in opposition to Christ, and rejected the Light of the world. As a pall of death they covered their souls with error; and though Christ presented to them the inner meaning of the Jewish economy, that they might discern that he was the great Antitype, they closed their eyes, that they might not perceive, and hardened their hearts, that they might not understand.

Jesus was the originator of the religion of the Jews, and how clearly could he open to the mind the significance of every shadow and symbol, and reveal the relation of the whole system to himself. That which had been misinterpreted, he set before them in its clear connection with truth, and made plain the glory of the Levitical service. He sought to open to men the fact that the Jewish system of religion presented in types and shadows the whole mystery of the gospel. The service of the past was in no way to be held in contempt; for in Christ, type met antitype, and shadow substance.

The lessons that Christ presented in his words of truth are like precious pearls; for in them he bestowed upon men an inestimable possession. Much that he taught is still but dimly understood, and the rubbish of error covers many a glorious gem of truth. These jewels of truth should be searched for with as great diligence as men search for hidden treasure. Those who know the love of Christ should regard it as did the man who found the hidden treasure, and for joy thereof went and sold all that he had, that he might buy the field, and dig over every inch of it to discover the rich veins of gold and silver. The teaching of Christ is more precious than any mine of earth can be, and it demands more zeal on our part to seek for the gems of truth than does any possession we can secure in the world. We should put forth most strenuous efforts to understand the full meaning of the truth he would convey to the mind in parables or maxims. Let him who would comprehend spiritual things, dig deep in the mines of truth.

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS.

By A. Stuttaford

BY A. STUTTAFORD.

THE following story, among several others, was related a long time ago by a missionary who labored for many years among the North American Indians.

On the occasion of one of his return visits East, the missionary made an appeal from the pulpit in behalf of the red man. The audience became very much impressed with his story as it progressed, and finally, losing all control of themselves, gave expression to the satisfaction they felt by stamping with their feet on the floor, making a most deafening uproar. An Indian who was sitting patiently in the pulpit beside the speaker, had never before heard anything like this tumult in a place of worship, and in surprise he asked the missionary, who could not proceed for the noise, what the disturbance all meant. The missionary told him that the people were very happy. The Indian could scarcely comprehend this strange manifestation of happiness and replied, "When Indian is happy he is happy in his heart and not in his heels." This well-merited rebuke for behavior so out of harmony with the occasion and surroundings, so humorously made, could scarcely, perhaps, have been administered in a more gentle yet effective manner by his more cultured white brethren.

But this is not the story the writer had in mind when he began this sketch.

The missionary had the painful confession to make that Satan was at one time very busy sowing discord among his flock. Chiefs and leading Indians were becoming embittered against each other, and he feared a rupture between the brethren. As a final resource in the effort to bring about a reconciliation, he took into his confidence a trusty Indian and invited him to conduct service the following Sunday, and improve the occasion to lay before the brethren their error as well as he was able. The faithful, God-fearing man accepted the difficult task. When the sermon began, the Indian wove into his discourse a story which bewildered the missionary, for he could not see any fitting application that could possibly be made of it to meet the case as designed. It ran somewhat as follows:—

A fine, noble fish, whom we will call Mr. Maskinonge, was one day sunning himself in a stream, when he was accosted by Mr. Mink.

"Hello, Mr. Maskinonge!" said the Mink. "Good-morning, sir!"

Mr. Maskinonge did not move, but only looked at him through the corner of his eye. He knew his character well and despised him.

"Mr. Maskinonge, it’s a fine, bright morning, sir; isn’t it? Don’t you hear me, sir?"

Still no sign of recognition, and he feels the snub most keenly. Moving off along the bank he by and by saw Mr. Sturgeon basking in the sun like his companion higher up the stream.

"Pleasant morning, Mr. Sturgeon. Glad to see you enjoying yourself."

No answer. Mr. Sturgeon also thought him beneath his notice.

Shortly after he skulked away through the bushes and found his way back to where Mr. Maskinonge was taking things easy as before.

"Mr. Maskinonge, your friend Mr. Sturgeon is just a little way from here. I thought I’d come over and tell you. I’m sure he’d be glad to see you. He’s having a good time over there alone. You had better go over and see him. [How provoking that I cannot get him to speak! Well, I’ll go down again and see if Mr. Sturgeon is there yet.]"

"Hello, Mr. Sturgeon! I mentioned to Mr. Maskinonge a while ago, in passing, that you were here, and asked him to come down, but he made no answer. I thought you were great friends, but I am mistaken, perhaps; if so, I would not have interfered."

"What’s that?"

"I said I thought you and Mr. Maskinonge were great friends until he refused to come to see you. I should have thought he would have been glad to pay you a visit, seeing how near you are to each other. But then it’s none of my business."

"You had better be off about your business then."

He sneaked away like a coward, half frightened, but recovering himself he continued to pass boldly between the two neighbors, with false reports, endeavoring to create a disturbance, until Mr. Maskinonge decided to go over and see for himself if anything was the matter.

"How do you do, Mr. Sturgeon? Let’s take a spin together."

"I hear you have been talking about me."

"Nonsense; who told you so?"

As they went along together Mr. Maskinonge accidentally bumped against his friend, and apologized.

Mr. Sturgeon was getting irritated, but said nothing. Further on he got another harder bump than before, when he lost his temper completely.

"Now I believe you have been scandalizing me, and I am not going to be insulted and abused in this manner."

He thereupon turned upon his neighbor and hurt him worse than he had intended.

Smarting with pain, Mr. Maskinonge returned the blow, and then a battle began in earnest, until finally, making desperate plunges at each other, and being blinded with rage, they found themselves carried by the shock of the last encounter high and dry upon the bank, beyond the reach of help, and at the mercy of their common enemy, Mr. Mink, who gloated over the success of a deep-laid plot to accomplish by slander what could not have been done by the ordinary methods employed for entrapping smaller fish.

Whatever misgivings the missionary may have had at the commencement of the sermon as to the appropriateness of the story, they certainly vanished before its close.

NOTE.—The missionary hailed from the Maritime Provinces bordering on Eastern Canada, and after many years of faithful service for the Master in the field of his choice among the red men of the prairies of the Great Canadian Northwest, the sad intelligence was received by telegram just before the close of a Sunday-evening service in the Methodist Church at the Canadian capital that his lifeless body had been found buried in the snow, where he had perished while in the discharge of duty.

Miscellaneous.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."—John 3:16.

AFTERWARDS.

By Eliza H. Morton

BY ELIZA H. MORTON.

AFTER the frosts of winter, Grass springs beneath the feet. After the April showers, Blossoms the mayflower sweet.

After the dark, drear midnight, Glimmers a golden morn. After despair and trial, Hope, blessed hope is born.

After the pain and anguish, Health with its rosy glow. After the swell of the freshet, Brooklets and rivers flow.

After the grave and mourning Cometh a time of rest, After the grief and sorrow, Joy, O redeemed and blest.

After this life of trial, Sweet tho' at times it be, Cometh a day of gladness,— Day of eternity.

North Deering, Me.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.

By The Cottage Pulpit

THE Seventh-day Adventists of Tennessee held their annual conference in Nashville during the early part of September. It was our privilege to attend two or three of their public services, and to hear some of their ministers preach the word of God, which, so far as we heard, was done faithfully and impressively, to the edification of the large audiences in attendance. They are a self-denying, earnest, intelligent body of men, and, though few in numbers compared to other Protestant bodies around them, and young comparatively as a church organization, seemed to have more than an ordinary share of the life, energy, and push of the Christians of the first century of the Christian era. They believe that they are providentially raised up for a special purpose in the fulfillment of prophecy, and if they do not “turn the world upside down,” once more, as did Paul and his colaborers of old, it will be because the world is too old and decayed to bear such handling at this late day, and will fall to pieces of the accumulating bulk of its own corruption, like an over-freighted, rickety old vessel at sea.

The special message these Seventh-day Adventists are bearing out to the professing Christian world, far and near, is not a new one, but as old, at least, as the book of Revelation; nor is its proclamation peculiar to this time, for wherever the lids of the Bible have been unclasped it has been there to confront the eye, and wherever the word has been fully read and faithfully preached, there the voice of the third angel has sounded to the ears willing to hear and heed his heavenly warning. But since, instead of heeding, the mass within Babylon have refused to “come out of her,” and particularly for the reason that the Protestant millions that came out of her a few centuries ago are now by some strange and strong delusion about to fall back, an unresisting prey, into her foul embrace, it seemed needful that the Lord should raise up an extraordinary power to herald this his merciful warning to men. May the Lord double their measure of life, and energy, and push in the work he may have specially given them to do, and help them to stick to that work.—The Cottage Pulpit.

CHURCH FOLLIES.

By J. P. Henderson

BY ELDER J. P. HENDERSON.

THE professing religious world in this section seems to have reached the height of their follies during the past few months in their efforts to amuse the public, and gather in ducats to help pay church bills.

As denominations are being leavened through and through with Christian Endeavor and other societies, new devices are sought out to meet the increased financial wants.

"Fairs and festivals, frolics untold, Are held in the place of prayer, And maidens bewitching as sirens of old, With worldly graces rare, Invent the very cunningest tricks, Untrammeled by gospel or laws, To beguile and amuse and win from the world Some help for the righteous cause."

To give with a "willing heart, liberally," is a thing of the past, so appetite and passion are appealed to in ways that "overpass the deeds of the wicked."

Recently a funeral was held in a certain church over a very prominent citizen, whose death was greatly lamented. That evening in the opera hall, a place where the church and world meet together on the devil’s territory, the same church held a "chicken-pie" supper. Within the echo of our tent lectures, we were greeted one evening with a "lawn dance" and "ice-cream social," which carried

on its revelries to a late hour, all under the auspices of a very popular denomination. Almost every evening for weeks at a time, our meetings have been interfered with by these gatherings of church festivities. New devices are invented to excel in novelty and attract the "gentlemen" who, of course, love fun.

A "curtain" supper is one in which the ladies at a given signal disappear behind a curtain hung up for the occasion, and beneath its folds expose their pedal extremities (feet), from the appearance of which the gentlemen are to select their partner for the occasion.

A "hide and seek" supper is one in which the ladies take to the woods, barn, or elsewhere, in the dark, of course, and the gentlemen follow in search, the one first found being his partner for the evening.

The vocabulary has simply been exhausted in the list of "tea and toast," "pork and beans," "fruit and cake" suppers. The last craze is on the alphabetic list. A number of "sisters" whose names may chance to begin with the same letter, unite their ingenuity in an effort to get up attraction, and are followed another evening by others of a different initial.

The following is a sample of advertising one of this nature, just clipped from the town paper, the letter being "S" :—

The following is the bill of fare that will be served by several sisters of the M. E. Church, at G. A. R. Hall, Friday evening.

SOLIDS. Savory slices, skillfully seasoned, Scalloped Spuds, served steaming, Sandwiches, smoothly spread Slightly salted. Sister Stott's superior satisfying snaps, Scientifically shaped.

SIDE DISHES. Sister Smith's sensible Sour Pickle sharpening. Sister Shadbolt's superior solidified scum. Sister Shanon's Sauerkraut salad, something suited to Slower Spry.

SIPS. Specially selected coffee steamed, strained, sweetened with sugar squares, sipped from solid silver spoons, served with skillfully skimmed sweet scum. Simple, steeped, sleep-stealing Tea, satisfactorily strong.

SWEETS. Sister Schellenger's scrumptuous sweet-bread, splendid stirred cake, sundry significations, such as sponge, snow, silver, spice, and so forth. Sweetly sugared sauce, spiced superbly slim, served in shallow saucers.

An affair that happened some time since in another town, however, takes the lead. The prettiest girl was sold for the evening to the highest bidder, and with her purchaser was to be the royal guest of the occasion. Some "roughs" of the city were present, and one became the buyer. The parents objected, but his "chums" threatened war if he was interfered with, and so the people were entertained by the half-drunken escort continually bestowing nameless tokens of affection on his "purchased prize;" he having paid for the privilege, no one had a right to interfere. We have not yet learned how many were added to the church by the racket that followed this disgraceful affair, but it looks as though a "Union with State" might be necessary to prevent church immoralities.

As the love of money is the root of all evil, the churches have fallen, and "from the least of them even unto the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness." Jer. 6: 13.

When truth teaches people to give an honest tithe, covetousness is barred out by lock and key that prevents many evils.

Clarksville, Iowa.

A PLAGUE-STRICKEN CITY.

By Editor

An esteemed contemporary, published in London, Eng., has the following letter from a resident in Hamburg, during the recent cholera epidemic, which will give our readers something of an idea as to what a plague-stricken city is. We quote as follows:—

We have received a letter dated September 7, from Brother Boettcher, in Hamburg, which presents quite a vivid picture of the condition of things in that city on account of the cholera plague. After speaking of the courage in the Lord, which they have in their work, he says:—

“Many times it has been stated that only the poorer classes are affected by this plague, but the experience in Hamburg has proved that rich and poor, high and low, are taken alike. It matters not where they are, on the streets or in their homes, in the saloons or in the palace. Day before yesterday I called on a man who used to come to our meetings, and upon inquiring of his welfare he replied, ‘My wife will be taken to the hospital in a few minutes, and I am closing up my books, for I do not know how soon I must share an equal fate.’ That is about the way Hamburgers feel in general. There is hardly any business going on. . . . I had thought that nothing could sober down the Hamburgs, but this has. One doesn’t hear any music on the streets, neither are there any concerts in the beer gardens; theaters and circuses have stopped. Up to yesterday over six thousand have died, and there has not been much of a decrease since it started.

“The dead are not placed in coffins, but are simply wrapped up in sheets and placed on boards, and put into wagons. They have used old bread wagons, moving wagons, etc., to transport the dead. To carry away the sick they use old cabs, about eighty in number. These are kept running to and fro the whole time. The most of those carried away die. A man and a woman were taken out of the house in which we live; both have died. Many sick and dead have been carried away from our neighborhood. In the beginning the dead were buried between twelve and two at night, but at present they employ men during the day also. Two hundred men are employed digging graves. The poor are in great distress because of all this, and because of lack of work.”

Continue reading: UNHALLOWED DIVERSIONS